UK British News Megathread - aka CWCissey's news thread

https://news.sky.com/story/row-over-new-greggs-vegan-sausage-rolls-heats-up-11597679 (https://archive.ph/5Ba6o)

A heated row has broken out over a move by Britain's largest bakery chain to launch a vegan sausage roll.

The pastry, which is filled with a meat substitute and encased in 96 pastry layers, is available in 950 Greggs stores across the country.

It was promised after 20,000 people signed a petition calling for the snack to be launched to accommodate plant-based diet eaters.


But the vegan sausage roll's launch has been greeted by a mixed reaction: Some consumers welcomed it, while others voiced their objections.

View image on Twitter


spread happiness@p4leandp1nk
https://twitter.com/p4leandp1nk/status/1080767496569974785

#VEGANsausageroll thanks Greggs

7
10:07 AM - Jan 3, 2019
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Cook and food poverty campaigner Jack Monroe declared she was "frantically googling to see what time my nearest opens tomorrow morning because I will be outside".

While TV writer Brydie Lee-Kennedy called herself "very pro the Greggs vegan sausage roll because anything that wrenches veganism back from the 'clean eating' wellness folk is a good thing".

One Twitter user wrote that finding vegan sausage rolls missing from a store in Corby had "ruined my morning".

Another said: "My son is allergic to dairy products which means I can't really go to Greggs when he's with me. Now I can. Thank you vegans."

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pg often@pgofton
https://twitter.com/pgofton/status/1080772793774624768

The hype got me like #Greggs #Veganuary

42
10:28 AM - Jan 3, 2019
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TV presenter Piers Morgan led the charge of those outraged by the new roll.

"Nobody was waiting for a vegan bloody sausage, you PC-ravaged clowns," he wrote on Twitter.

Mr Morgan later complained at receiving "howling abuse from vegans", adding: "I get it, you're all hangry. I would be too if I only ate plants and gruel."

Another Twitter user said: "I really struggle to believe that 20,000 vegans are that desperate to eat in a Greggs."

"You don't paint a mustach (sic) on the Mona Lisa and you don't mess with the perfect sausage roll," one quipped.

Journalist Nooruddean Choudry suggested Greggs introduce a halal steak bake to "crank the fume levels right up to 11".

The bakery chain told concerned customers that "change is good" and that there would "always be a classic sausage roll".

It comes on the same day McDonald's launched its first vegetarian "Happy Meal", designed for children.

The new dish comes with a "veggie wrap", instead of the usual chicken or beef option.

It should be noted that Piers Morgan and Greggs share the same PR firm, so I'm thinking this is some serious faux outrage and South Park KKK gambiting here.

 

[kcbbq]

Remember kids;
Vegetarians don't eat meat.
Vegans don't eat meat or anything with animal by-products.

Don't get the two mixed up.

One group are insufferable twats who won't shut up about how they don't eat meat, the other are the same but dying of a b12 deficiency.

It would be OK if they could shut up about it when other people around them just want to buy some food.

both are eating disorders leading to mental problems.
also its unnatural.

even tiny fluffy backyard critter eat each other...

There are two ways herbivores can survive. Bizarre digestive strategies that involve eating their own vomit or shit, or not being as much of herbivores as people think. Cows chew their cud, rabbits eat their own shit, and even have a special storage pouch for it in their ass.

Humans only have bacteria that produce b12 in their colon, which doesn't allow b12 through, just like pretty much any other mammal.

 

[Judge Dredd]

I wouldn't be surprised if this was a deliberate act of sabotage by someone who is anti-army but is in charge of recruitment, or that it turns out to be bad on purpose hoping to go viral.

I'm currently reading a book about the Royal Marines Commandos. The difference between their ethos and mindset and the one behind these posters is night and day. Striving to be the best, that you condition your mind and body so you can do things most normal men consider impossible, a sense of respect with your fellow soldiers that you will go above and beyond to not let them down.

Or the TL;DR. The Navy has less faggots in it than the army. Who would have guessed?

 

[Sable]

This is pretty terrible advertising, but it's so terrible that people are paying attention to it.

Suc...cess?

 

[registered 2 hide avatars]

I'm having a hard time understanding this. Who's going to think "me me me millenial, yup that's me"? Gamers I understand, maybe even class clowns, but the rest... what on earth?

 

[ZehnBoat]

This is pretty terrible advertising, but it's so terrible that people are paying attention to it.

Suc...cess?

in this day and age it's sad some people and companies don't understand the difference between "they're talking about us" and "they like our stuff"

 

[Judge Dredd]

in this day and age it's sad some people and companies don't understand the difference between "they're talking about us" and "they like our stuff"

I think it's them hearing some variant of the saying "there's no such thing as bad publicity" and taking that to the extreme. Failing to realize that there's a difference between a film or product being talked about because it's edgy or taboo and pissing in peoples eyes and expecting them to be thankful for it.

 

[Gorgar]

History repeats itself.

 

[Keystone]

View attachment 631385
History repeats itself.

Yeah but the world would've been a better place if more of Europe's men stayed in the surf.

 

[Pixy]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-07/scots-guardsman-to-resign-over-snowflake-army-poster/10692298

"A Scots Guardsman who appeared in controversial British Army recruitment posters says he plans to quit the army after receiving backlash from his colleagues.

Stephen McWhirter appeared with the words "snow flakes" above his head in one of the Lord Kitchener-style posters, which were a throwback to the recruitment campaign that produced some of the defining images of World War I.

Mr McWhirter told The Daily Mail he was not forewarned about how the photo would be used and had been left open to ridicule.

The Daily Mail also reports that Mr McWhirter told friends that Army bosses had never mentioned the term "snow flakes" would be used with his photo.

The campaign, that uses slogans such as "me me me millennials", "phone zombies" and "selfie addicts" is being rolled out by the UK Ministry of Defence in a bid to elevate recruitment numbers.

Colonel Ben Wilde, assistant director of army recruiting, said soldiers that volunteered were fully informed about the "striking language" that would be used in the campaign.

"The volunteers gave their permission to appear on TV and in the posters and were fully informed about the striking language and how it would resonate with young people with a variety of valuable skills," he said.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson defended the recruitment drive, saying "people are fundamental to the Army".

"The Your Army Needs You campaign is a powerful call to action that appeals to those seeking to make a difference as part of an innovative and inclusive team," he said.

"It shows that time spent in the Army equips people with skills for life and provides comradeship, adventure and opportunity like no other job does."

British MP James Cleverly said people had missed the point of the campaign.

"People criticising the British Army's new #snowflake recruitment campaign are missing the point," he said.

"The army has always recruited from the society it serves and often from those who some describe as 'not up to the mark'.

"It then turns those recruits into world-class soldiers."

The Army has around 78,000 troops, its smallest number since the Crimean War more than 150 years ago."

I feel bad for the poor sod tbh. Clearly, he was under the impression his image would be used for a different sort of advertising campaign.

 

[The Great Chandler]

British Millennials wouldn't join, they lost their humor after they thought Monty Python reruns were "too problematic". Gamers on the other hand...
;^)

 

[Keystone]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-07/scots-guardsman-to-resign-over-snowflake-army-poster/10692298
"A Scots Guardsman who appeared in controversial British Army recruitment posters says he plans to quit the army after receiving backlash from his colleagues. Stephen McWhirter appeared with the words "snow flakes" above his head in one of the Lord Kitchener-style posters, which were a throwback to the recruitment campaign that produced some of the defining images of World War I. Mr McWhirter told The Daily Mail he was not forewarned about how the photo would be used and had been left open to ridicule.

The Daily Mail also reports that Mr McWhirter told friends that Army bosses had never mentioned the term "snow flakes" would be used with his photo. The campaign, that uses slogans such as "me me me millennials", "phone zombies" and "selfie addicts" is being rolled out by the UK Ministry of Defence in a bid to elevate recruitment numbers.

Colonel Ben Wilde, assistant director of army recruiting, said soldiers that volunteered were fully informed about the "striking language" that would be used in the campaign.

"The volunteers gave their permission to appear on TV and in the posters and were fully informed about the striking language and how it would resonate with young people with a variety of valuable skills," he said.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson defended the recruitment drive, saying "people are fundamental to the Army".

"The Your Army Needs You campaign is a powerful call to action that appeals to those seeking to make a difference as part of an innovative and inclusive team," he said. "It shows that time spent in the Army equips people with skills for life and provides comradeship, adventure and opportunity like no other job does."

British MP James Cleverly said people had missed the point of the campaign.

"People criticising the British Army's new #snowflake recruitment campaign are missing the point," he said. "The army has always recruited from the society it serves and often from those who some describe as 'not up to the mark'. "It then turns those recruits into world-class soldiers."

The Army has around 78,000 troops, its smallest number since the Crimean War more than 150 years ago."

I feel bad for the poor sod tbh. Clearly, he was under the impression his image would be used for a different sort of advertising campaign.

What he thought he'd get:

What he actually got:

Poor guy

 

[Clem Fandango]

I think you have to call your recruitment campaign a failure at the point where it's getting people who are already signed up to actively quit the army

 

[Chocolate Elvis]

Spoiler: I’ve been collecting these all weekend

Spoiler: And a template for good measure.

Also, here’s footage of a retired army colonel passionately defending the campaign whilst imploring his teenage son to enlist, because his addiction to Fortnite will be a useful skill in fighting cyber-terrorism.

It’s already the future, and we have no more need for comedy writers.

 

[SJ 485]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-46803713
http://archive.ph/LfHNz

Departures at Heathrow were temporarily stopped after a drone was reported to have been sighted.
Flights from the west London airport resumed about an hour after police said a drone had been seen.
A Heathrow spokeswoman had said it was a "precautionary measure" to "prevent any threat to operational safety".
It comes after last month's disruption at Gatwick Airport which saw thousands of people stranded when drones were sighted.
The spokeswoman said: "We continue to work closely with the Met Police to respond to reports of drones at Heathrow.
"Based on standard operating procedures, working with Air Traffic Control and the Met Police, we have resumed departures out of Heathrow following a short suspension. We continue to monitor this situation and apologise to any passengers that were affected by this disruption."


The Metropolitan Police said they received reports of a drone sighting near Heathrow at about 17:05 GMT.

Before the confirmation flights had resumed, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said he was in contact with the airport about the drone sighting, and had spoken to the home secretary and defence secretary.
BBC cameraman Martin Roberts said he was driving on the M25 past Heathrow airport at about 17:45 GMT when he saw what he believes was a drone.
"I could see, I'd say around 300 feet up, very bright, stationary flashing red and green lights, over the Harmondsworth area," he said.
"I could tell it was a drone - these things have got quite distinctive lights - not a helicopter.
"The lights were very close together. It was a very clear night and the object was stationary, it was turning very, very slightly. I could see it very clearly, I'd say for about four to five minutes."


Travel expert Simon Calder said the halting of departures would have meant about 40 aircraft did not take off when they were meant to.
"They will now be able to start getting away, but all that time you have had arrivals coming in and gates not being available because departing planes haven't gone. It's going to be messy for the rest of the evening," he told the BBC.
Mr Calder said Heathrow had measures in place intended to prevent this kind of incident.
"Heathrow told me that they had actually provided equipment and personnel to help their big rival Gatwick out during the drone event," he said.

'Heightened awareness'

More than 140,000 passengers at Gatwick were affected during 36 hours of chaos between 19 and 21 December.
About 1,000 flights were cancelled there over three days due to the drone sightings.
Gatwick said last week that it had spent £5m to prevent future attacks. Heathrow also confirmed it would be buying systems to guard against drones.
And it was announced this week that police would be given new powers to tackle the illegal use of drones.
John Grant, industry advisor to air travel data specialists OAG, told the BBC it was "almost inevitable" after what happened at Gatwick that there would be "a heightened state of awareness and these types of incidents could possibly reoccur".

Presumably more copycats to come, followed by a UK ban on drones or strict regulations ruining the point of owning a drone in the first place.

 

[AF 802]

You got a loicense for that drone, mate?

But literally.

 

[King Buzzo]

You got a loicense for that drone, mate?

But literally.

Imagine the police trying to chase it with those billy clubs. Bet that gun policy was worth it huh, Britain.

 

[Clop]

I get plenty of fun out of watching airports impotently fight a losing battle against dipshits with expensive toys. I'm almost tempted to build miniature remote-controlled flak tanks Red Alert-style.

 

[whatever I feel like]

Its not often that I agree with the UK's ban everything approach but if drones do become a significant airport problem, then I could see them get restricted to liscenced commercial operators. Fucking Green Peace, even ruins model airplanes.

 

[Keep Yourself Safe]

You got a loicense for that drone, mate?

But literally.

 

[SJ 485]

Its not often that I agree with the UK's ban everything approach but if drones do become a significant airport problem, then I could see them get restricted to liscenced commercial operators. Fucking PETA, even ruins model airplanes.

It's only a significant airport problem because they don't just shoot the things down. Banning them would be completely retarded. Classic UK though, really.